Bachelor's Degree

I thought I already posted this, but I'm not seeing it on here anymore, so I'm not sure what happened. Anyway, I am really interested in becoming a PA, but I have no idea what I should get my bachelor's degree in. Could I get my bachelor's in anything, such as business for example, and then still get into a PA school after? I'm already in my second year at ASU, and have already been taking classes towards my business communications degree. I don't really want to start all over, but being a PA is what I really want to do. Does anyone have any insight on this? Please let me know. Thank you so much

you can get your degree in anything, there is no specific requirement for it in getting admitted. I would suggest that you get your degree is something that you enjoy doing and can find a decent job in if PA school doe not pan out for you or your situation changes to prevent you from furthing your studies.

There are a few schools that offer a Bachelors Degree. If you go to AAPA.ORG, they list all the schools that offer it (www.aapa.org/pgmlist.php3). To help narrow your search, a few schools in New York and Charles Drew in California. I hope this helps.

There are no programs that are offered online that I know of. You can go to AAPA.org to verify. I would think that it would be too difficult to learn and not physically be there. Imagine going to medical school online, it wouldn't work out very well.

Aly-
First off, you should definitely do an undergraduate degree in some sort or science field i.e. Biology, Chemistry or some kind of Health Science. PA School requirements are the same as Medical School so you should also follow a pre-med curriculum, which is obviously weighted heavily in the sciences. You should think of PA school as Medical school because it is: PAs are taught under the Medical model that Physicians are taught under. I am a PA and we had the same classes and the same M.D. professors as the med students. The only difference is that it is a shortened but accelerated Medical program, therefore, it is also very demanding.
If you want to get a Bachelors in Business/Communications, you will then have to take all of the additional Science prerequisite classes needed. To me that is a waste of time and money esp. if you know you want to apply for PA school and are serious about it. Also PA school is VERY competitive. In the April’s edition of the AAPA journal newsletter it says that the New York Institute of Technology’s PA program had 1,500 applicants for 52 spots! If you are a business major with no health care experience they wont even take you seriously. How will you compete with the average applicant who has a Biology degree with a minor in Chemistry who has 3 yrs working as a Physical Therapist/Respiratory Asst./Nurse?
During clinical rotations, I sat on my school's admissions board and the #1 thing that they are looking for is that you know exactly what you are getting yourself into and that you know that this is what you want to do. PA school is a huge commitment and you have to prove that you have worked hard by taking tough science classes, worked in health care and know a lot about the PA profession. So, I think you should really think through your Bachelors degree if you are serious in becoming a PA. Good Luck!

The reason I thought getting my Bachelors in Business might work is because of the prerequisites that the school has listed. I'm looking at attending ATSU, and the prerequisites just say that you must have your Bachelor's degree and then they list 4 different prerequisite courses. I am sure that having my degree in something science related would definitely look better but I'm not sure what to do. I have heard people say that getting my degree in Biology would be best, however, I have also had people tell me that getting it in a different field would be better just in case becoming a PA doesn't work out, such that what would I end up doing with a degree in Biology? I feel completely torn. The only other problem is that I am only two years off from getting my Bachelors in Business, and if I were to switch to something else now it would add on at least another year if not more. I haven't taken any classes to go towards Biology. The prerequisites for the school are already added on to my plans for my Bachelors in Business, I have included them, and they will just be elective classes for me. However, if there isn't a chance for me to get into a PA school with this degree then I'm not sure what to do. I definitely understand what you're saying about other applicants seeming better for the position. If I do stay as a Business major, do you have any suggestions that could help me to better myself and get into school?

I can definitely understand the dilemma with the Business degree since you are ½ way done with it. So it does seem to make more sense to stick through it at this point. It sounds like you have added the prerequisites for ATSU into your undergraduate degree now which is good. I still have a couple questions/concerns for you. 1) Do you have any health care experience/pt care? ATSU needs a letter of recommendation from a health provider. You will need to have health care experience to be competitive esp. with minimal science background. 2) Are you applying for more than one program? I would definitely recommend that you do so you have a better chance and you can compare the schools to see which would suit you the best. I know that they all have different prereqs, which can get frustrating, which is the reason you have to plan this out way before applying to PA school. (I had to take 3 different psych classes for 3 different PA schools my senior year for different PA school prereqs.) 3) It seems like you suddenly decided you wanted to go to PA school… so why the switch at this point in your college career? You also mention if PA school doesn’t work out, you wouldn’t know what to do with a Biology/science degree. So I am a little confused why you suddenly want to go into a profession that is all science and then if that one thing doesn’t work out.. you wouldn’t re-apply or find another profession in science? My best advice to you is to get as much health care experience as possible and pt. care hours, even if it is volunteering in the Summers. And of course, keeping those grades up!

I currently don't have much health care experience, but I know I need to get on that. I've looked into shadowing a PA and a physician as well. I'll definitely see what else I can do to get some more experience. Do you know where would be best to volunteer or as doing what? When you volunteer at the hospitals around here they pretty much just use you as a transporter to help take patients to tests and other things, so I'm not sure that would really count as experience. I don't really have a plan to apply to any other programs as of now, but I'm sure that would also be good to look into. ATSU is right by my house, and to the best of my knowledge, there is only one other program in Arizona. It is pretty important to me to stay in Arizona, but that is definitely something that I'll have to figure out later if I can't get into one of the programs here. I have always wanted to do something in the medical field, but I really wasn't sure how it would fit in with the other goals that I had for myself. The time it takes to become a doctor, the money it takes, along with other things really just wasn't something I could see for myself. Nursing never really appealed to me, and I didn't want to just do something like becoming some sort of medical technician. So with all of these things as road blocks for me as I started college I was just trying to get it figured out. At first I just tried to take all general courses, but eventually I had to start something, and business school seemed realistic and general enough that later I could figure out a ton of careers for myself. But the more I thought about it, I just can't see myself sitting at a desk, or doing boring things day after day. I love being in the hospital, and working with people, and the idea of everyday being something new and challenging, so despite my business classes I looked into it more, and becoming a PA has becoming increasingly appealing. Although it is still a lot of school, because there are no

bachelor programs here, it was still a reasonable amount. I also began to like the idea of having a superior, such that I can go to someone else if I needed help with a patient and it is someone to learn more from. Its not necessarily science that I want a career in, so if becoming a PA didn't work out, I would have to figure out a whole new plan. I'm not saying that I won't continue to try to get into school if I don't the first time, but lets say in the mean time, before I can get accepted to school, I don't know what I would do with a biology degree. I'll work on getting more experience, but I'm not worried about my grades, that should be the one area that I can compete with the other applicants. There is still more that I need to work on and figure out, but right now I'm just really hoping it'll all work out how I have it planned.

Aly in Mesa, Arizona said: I thought I already posted this, but I'm not seeing it on here anymore, so I'm not sure what happened. Anyway, I am really interested in becoming a PA, but I have no idea what I should get my bachelor's degree in. Could I get my bachelor's in anything, such as business for example, and then still get into a PA school after? I'm already in my second year at ASU, and have already been taking classes towards my business communications degree. I don't really want to start all over, but being a PA is what I really want to do. Does anyone have any insight on this? Please let me know. Thank you so much

There are a few schools that have PA bachelor's programs such as howard university have you tjought about that.

I have definitely considered bachelor programs, however, it is important for me to stay in Arizona, and I have not been able to find any schools here that offer that. Do you know any schools in Arizona that have PA bachelor's programs?

Hi all. I'm am interested in PA school. I am a 30 y/o single mom with a BA in English Lit (with Honors 3.89 GPA, 4.0 in math/science courses). I spent a year after college living in Mexico teaching English and studying Spanish. I have been a volunteer firefighter/EMT for three years, a Medical Assistant at a primary care clinic for 1.5 years and an EMT on an ambulance (running 911 calls)for about a year. I chose PA school over med school because of my daughter - she's ten now and i can't dedicate the next 10 -15 years of my life to med school. Right now i am trying to get PA pre reqs done. i live in a rural area and only have access to community colleges - so all my pre reqs will be lower division. So far i'm planning to apply to Duke, Quinnipiac, and Cornell; these are top schools and i am aware of how competitive they are, so i will also be applying to many others. Any PAs or PA students out there have any advice for me? I am interested in Emergency Medicine, Surgery, and Intensive Care. I will be applying for Fall 2011 to give myself plenty of time to do all pre reqs and take the GRE. Would love any advice or suggestions about school selection, things to do to improve my application, etc. Basically just want to hear from others who are doing the same thing. Thanks.

Hey, I was looking into ATSU more and seeing what the application process was like and when exactly the best time to apply would be. It asks if I will have graduated before I apply and if I am NCCPA certified. For some reason, I thought you became certified after you graduated form PA school. Do you know any information about this, do I get certified when I have finished my bachelor's degree or after I finish PA school? It seems you must have to be certified before you apply, so what does becoming certified involve? Please let me know any info you may have! Thanks so much!

Maria- Your experience is impressive and it clearly shows you have a passion for the medical field and for helping people. You definitely have a nice advantage over other applicants with your background work as an EMT and medical assistant, which is exactly what PA schools are looking for. I would work hard at doing well in the prereqs and scoring high on the GRE. The only reason PA schools look at GRE scores is because it is a standardized test and they believe it will somewhat predict how you will score on the PANCE, which you will need to pass in order to practice medicine as a PA. However, GRE scores aren't weighted half as much as previous health care experience and first hand patient care, which you have. Best of luck!

Aly- You can only apply for the PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certification Exam) after you have successfully passed an approved PA program. The PANCE is a 6hr exam testing your medical and clinical skills. After passing, it is then that you are a nationally certified PA,(PA-C). After you are 1)NCCPA certified (passing the PANCE) and 2)licensed in the state you wish to practice, you can practice medicine as a PA.

If ATSU is asking if you are NCCPA certified.. they may have a separate residency program for already practicing/certified PAs. After graduating, some PAs go on and do a residency program in their chosen fields, like medical residents are required.

And I would like to make a reply to wgore1822's comment: Bachelor PA programs are a thing of the past and will soon become obsolete. In order to to gain a DEA number to prescribe medication as a PA- you must hold a Masters of Science and you must have additional training in pharmacology- which Masters programs provide. If one were to get a Bachelors from a PA school they would have to take additional classes in Pharm and have to jump through hoops in order to fill additional requirements to gain a DEA number. These additional requirements can be costly and vary from state to state. It only makes sense to get a Masters in Science because of todays state licensure requirements and DEA requirements.

Tiffany in Chagrin Falls, Ohio said: Aly- You can only apply for the PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certification Exam) after you have successfully passed an approved PA program. The PANCE is a 6hr exam testing your medical and clinical skills. After passing, it is then that you are a nationally certified PA,(PA-C). After you are 1)NCCPA certified (passing the PANCE) and 2)licensed in the state you wish to practice, you can practice medicine as a PA.

If ATSU is asking if you are NCCPA certified.. they may have a separate residency program for already practicing/certified PAs. After graduating, some PAs go on and do a residency program in their chosen fields, like medical residents are required.

And I would like to make a reply to wgore1822's comment: Bachelor PA programs are a thing of the past and will soon become obsolete. In order to to gain a DEA number to prescribe medication as a PA- you must hold a Masters of Science and you must have additional training in pharmacology- which Masters programs provide. If one were to get a Bachelors from a PA school they would have to take additional classes in Pharm and have to jump through hoops in order to fill additional requirements to gain a DEA number. These additional requirements can be costly and vary from state to state. It only makes sense to get a Masters in Science because of todays state licensure requirements and DEA requirements.

Tiffany, some of your information is incorrect. I just graduated from Howard University's Bachelor PA program. We do our Pharmacology class with the medical school and have no trouble getting DEA numbers or otherwise licensed. The state medical boards are aware of which programs (regardless of degree) offer Pharm courses. There are some Master's programs that don't. The only difference between the Bachelor's and Master's program is in the degree name.

I just published a great book called So You Want to be a Physician Assistant. It answers a lot of questions about schools but also about practice as a PA. I have been a PA in primary care in Southern CA for 14 years. I found there really wasn't a good book out there to answer all of these questions - so I wrote one! Find it on-line at www.physicianassistantbooks.com.
Good luck!
Beth

OK, so if you want to totally change your life finnish your bachelors degree in Business. Then enlist in the National Guard as a MEDIC and then apply to the IPap program. 2 year program in San Antonio and you can get your PA-C out of it. Dont be angered that these things take time!!!

Hi all, I could use some advice as well. I am entering my second year of college at a local community college, majoring in surgical technology. However I recently realized I do not want to do this all my life, and what's more, I would really like to be a PA. So I am planning to continue and get a bachelors in health care management from the same community college (they offer a few bachelor programs), mainly because I can get it in just two additional years after surg tech. My question is, will a bachelors degree not look as good if it is from a community college? Or does it matter? Also, I am interested in volunteering at a hospital, but, like Aly said, there are only openings for transporters, etc. Any ideas?

Stephanie PA-C in Newport News, Virginia said: Tiffany, some of your information is incorrect. I just graduated from Howard University's Bachelor PA program. We do our Pharmacology class with the medical school and have no trouble getting DEA numbers or otherwise licensed. The state medical boards are aware of which programs (regardless of degree) offer Pharm courses. There are some Master's programs that don't. The only difference between the Bachelor's and Master's program is in the degree name.

That is not the case for every state as I am sure you are aware that every state has different programs and requirements to practice. In Ohio, if you don't hold a Masters of Science from an accredited PA Program or are "grandfathered" into the system (meaning you have been practicing 10+ yrs) you HAVE to take additional pharmacology classes, even if you had pharm classes in PA school. Even to renew an Ohio license you need so many additional Pharmacology CME credits every 2 years. My advice to others is to just get your Masters and make your life easier because eventually you will need one to practice.. that is the way the PA programs are heading now anyways. Check out AAPAs website: Out of the 140 PA programs offered, 113 offer a Masters.

Shytoro in Henderson, Nevada said: Does anyone know if there is an online school that offers a Bachelor Degree in Physician Assistant? If so, how long is the program? All I've found are Master's in PA...

My sister earned a PA degree from Wake Forest University a few years ago. She had an undergrad degree in chemicalengineering and still had to take some science prerequisites to get into the PA program. When she was interviewing at different schools they placed a big emphasis on clinical experience (rtunately,she had volunteered in an emergency room). So if you're serious about PA school, I'd recommend a science-heavy undergrad degree. Also, to my knowledge there are no BA degrees available for PAs; in fact, admission to PA school requires a bachelors degree, and you emerge from many PA schools with a masters degree.

[QUOTE Also, to my knowledge there are no BA degrees available for PAs; in fact, admission to PA school requires a bachelors degree, and you emerge from many PA schools with a masters degree.

You are right, most PA programs you need a Bachelors as one of the prereqs because 113 programs (the vast majority) offer a Masters. According to the AAPA, there are still 21 programs that offer a Bachelors degree. However, I predict that this will eventually be phased out and it will be required to either hold a Masters in order to practice or be grandfathered into the system.

Tiffany in Solon, Ohio said: Yes, this is absolutely true for Ohio. Even to renew your license in Ohio you need so many pharmacology CME credits too. Every state has different requirements.

This is what I was getting at, but you don't have to have a Masters to get a DEA number from the Feds. All Programs have to teach Pharmacology (no matter what credential awarded) as part of their ARC-PA accreditation. The extra hoops you are talking about are the result of various PA state regulatory committees requiring those hoops for licensure or Rxing in that state. More often or not the extra hoops were the trade off to get RX authority passed into law.
We will see if the non masters programs will be phased out. There are still states that recognize multiple entry points into the profession and multiple ways for folks to get a MS degree after they graduate if that is what they need. FWIW the ARC-PA is still accrediting non MS programs.

Stephanie PA-C in Newport News, Virginia said: Tiffany, some of your information is incorrect. I just graduated from Howard University's Bachelor PA program. We do our Pharmacology class with the medical school and have no trouble getting DEA numbers or otherwise licensed. The state medical boards are aware of which programs (regardless of degree) offer Pharm courses. There are some Master's programs that don't. The only difference between the Bachelor's and Master's program is in the degree name.

Stephanie would you mind if I emailed you some questions? I am currently a student at Howard thinking about switching to the PA program.
nicole.rean08@yahoo.com

Nicole in Washington, District of Columbia said: Stephanie would you mind if I emailed you some questions? I am currently a student at Howard thinking about switching to the PA program.
nicole.rean08@yahoo.com

Tiffany in Chagrin Falls, Ohio said: Aly- You can only apply for the PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certification Exam) after you have successfully passed an approved PA program. The PANCE is a 6hr exam testing your medical and clinical skills. After passing, it is then that you are a nationally certified PA,(PA-C). After you are 1)NCCPA certified (passing the PANCE) and 2)licensed in the state you wish to practice, you can practice medicine as a PA.

If ATSU is asking if you are NCCPA certified.. they may have a separate residency program for already practicing/certified PAs. After graduating, some PAs go on and do a residency program in their chosen fields, like medical residents are required.

And I would like to make a reply to wgore1822's comment: Bachelor PA programs are a thing of the past and will soon become obsolete. In order to to gain a DEA number to prescribe medication as a PA- you must hold a Masters of Science and you must have additional training in pharmacology- which Masters programs provide. If one were to get a Bachelors from a PA school they would have to take additional classes in Pharm and have to jump through hoops in order to fill additional requirements to gain a DEA number. These additional requirements can be costly and vary from state to state. It only makes sense to get a Masters in Science because of todays state licensure requirements and DEA requirements.

What is the difference between a bachelors degree and a masters degree in PA.
I already have my bachelors in biology, and the school I am interested in only offers a bachelors in PA, so will I be at a disadvantage if I get my bachelors instead of masters in PA?

RXGrandma in Oceanside, California said: What is the difference between a bachelors degree and a masters degree in PA.
I already have my bachelors in biology, and the school I am interested in only offers a bachelors in PA, so will I be at a disadvantage if I get my bachelors instead of masters in PA?

The difference is in the name of the degree. If you already have a Bachelor's, I suggest getting your Master's in PA- because regradless of the degree, the work is Master's level work. I graduated from Howard Univ, which only offers a Bachelor's in PA and I had NO trouble getting my DEA number or finding work.

If you intend to practice in California, IMHO there is not a problem unless you are in one of the areas that might considered "saturated" with providers, then it doesn't matter what degree you have, everybody is struggling to find that "perfect job". If you plan to leave the state, then depending where you go will influnce your prospects. There are schools that offer online Masters post completion of your PA training and certification, that are very popluar with folks that want or need the degree. The lack of a MS degree will not hinder you from getting a DEA number or the ability to RX scheduled drugs in this state.

Aly in Mesa, Arizona said: I thought I already posted this, but I'm not seeing it on here anymore, so I'm not sure what happened. Anyway, I am really interested in becoming a PA, but I have no idea what I should get my bachelor's degree in. Could I get my bachelor's in anything, such as business for example, and then still get into a PA school after? I'm already in my second year at ASU, and have already been taking classes towards my business communications degree. I don't really want to start all over, but being a PA is what I really want to do. Does anyone have any insight on this? Please let me know. Thank you so much

I would suggest you get your Bachelors in something that fulfills the preqs for the Pa program that you would like to attend such as Biology..

Shytoro in Henderson, Nevada said: Does anyone know if there is an online school that offers a Bachelor Degree in Physician Assistant? If so, how long is the program? All I've found are Master's in PA...

There are no online programs for PA. It's only on campus because it follows the medical model like medical students go through.

I am currently attending Arizona State University. I will graduate in May with a B.A. in Psychology. All my life I have been interested in the medical field. I am having a change of heart in regards to my future career. I am considering becoming a PA. What are some jobs to start out, to gain experience in the medical field? Also, any additional information about the process is welcomed. Thank you.

Tiffany in Chagrin Falls, Ohio said: Aly- You can only apply for the PANCE (Physician Assistant National Certification Exam) after you have successfully passed an approved PA program. The PANCE is a 6hr exam testing your medical and clinical skills. After passing, it is then that you are a nationally certified PA,(PA-C). After you are 1)NCCPA certified (passing the PANCE) and 2)licensed in the state you wish to practice, you can practice medicine as a PA.

If ATSU is asking if you are NCCPA certified.. they may have a separate residency program for already practicing/certified PAs. After graduating, some PAs go on and do a residency program in their chosen fields, like medical residents are required.

And I would like to make a reply to wgore1822's comment: Bachelor PA programs are a thing of the past and will soon become obsolete. In order to to gain a DEA number to prescribe medication as a PA- you must hold a Masters of Science and you must have additional training in pharmacology- which Masters programs provide. If one were to get a Bachelors from a PA school they would have to take additional classes in Pharm and have to jump through hoops in order to fill additional requirements to gain a DEA number. These additional requirements can be costly and vary from state to state. It only makes sense to get a Masters in Science because of todays state licensure requirements and DEA requirements.

The above is not entirely true. I am a PA-C working in NY and have a DEA number. I graduated with an Associates in Physician Assistant Studies from an accredited college in Florida. The C after PA denotes I was eligible for and passed the NCCPA sponsored PANCE exam. Associate programs are rapidly changing to require higher degrees, like BA, BS, MA, MS. So those of you who dare enter the program and want to finish quickly, look for AS PA programs. Good luck....you'll need it.

Tiffany in Solon, Ohio said: [QUOTE Also, to my knowledge there are no BA degrees available for PAs; in fact, admission to PA school requires a bachelors degree, and you emerge from many PA schools with a masters degree.

You are right, most PA programs you need a Bachelors as one of the prereqs because 113 programs (the vast majority) offer a Masters. According to the AAPA, there are still 21 programs that offer a Bachelors degree. However, I predict that this will eventually be phased out and it will be required to either hold a Masters in order to practice or be grandfathered into the system.

I have been an Lpn for 7 years and there were rumors of us being "phased out" for the last 20 years now so anything is possible but I highly doubt they will be phasing out the PA bachelor degree

Claudia in Plainville, Connecticut said: The above is not entirely true. I am a PA-C working in NY and have a DEA number. I graduated with an Associates in Physician Assistant Studies from an accredited college in Florida. The C after PA denotes I was eligible for and passed the NCCPA sponsored PANCE exam. Associate programs are rapidly changing to require higher degrees, like BA, BS, MA, MS. So those of you who dare enter the program and want to finish quickly, look for AS PA programs. Good luck....you'll need it.

I need some help here.
What was the school that offered this in Florida?

I have recently decided after a career in real estate that being a PA has always been a goal and a life passion of mine. I am 31 years old and I don't think I can go to school for another 4 years and not work full time. I have begun classes again and will complete my bachelors by this summer. I only needed electives to finish so I elected to take A&P 1 and 2 and next semester probably Chem and Micro Bio. to finish up. I am completely prepared to live off of loans and part time work for two years to complete my dream and do something that I can be proud of with the rest of my life. Ideally a bachelors in PA would be great and fit my plan very well. However I can't really find one here in Florida. I don't mind leaving the state but it will make it harder to live on small income.

Any help would be greatly appreciated and if anyone knows of a school that might work for an associates or bachelors program.

I really don't want to settle for like a Physical therapy assistant or occupational therapy assistant program

mattfl. in Jacksonville, Florida said: I need some help here.
What was the school that offered this in Florida?

I have recently decided after a career in real estate that being a PA has always been a goal and a life passion of mine. I am 31 years old and I don't think I can go to school for another 4 years and not work full time. I have begun classes again and will complete my bachelors by this summer. I only needed electives to finish so I elected to take A&P 1 and 2 and next semester probably Chem and Micro Bio. to finish up. I am completely prepared to live off of loans and part time work for two years to complete my dream and do something that I can be proud of with the rest of my life. Ideally a bachelors in PA would be great and fit my plan very well. However I can't really find one here in Florida. I don't mind leaving the state but it will make it harder to live on small income.

Any help would be greatly appreciated and if anyone knows of a school that might work for an associates or bachelors program.

I really don't want to settle for like a Physical therapy assistant or occupational therapy assistant program

PLEASE HELP
FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME AT MAS8611@MSN.COM

If you are finishing a Bachelor's degree, it would be best to just apply to a Master's program. Check out Southeastern University's PA programs (in Florida). In terms of time, most PA programs are 2 to 2.5 years, regardless of degree. Working (even part-time) is going to be close to impossible once you hit your clinical rotation time.

Stephanie PA-C in Newport News, Virginia said: If you are finishing a Bachelor's degree, it would be best to just apply to a Master's program. Check out Southeastern University's PA programs (in Florida). In terms of time, most PA programs are 2 to 2.5 years, regardless of degree. Working (even part-time) is going to be close to impossible once you hit your clinical rotation time.

I mispoke earlier in my post. I will be finishing my A.A, degree by summer. I would love to transition directly into a physicians assistant program from there. However I am having a lot of trouble finding a school that doesn't require a bachelors degree first. The ones I have found seem to have a 4 year program which would basically be the same as going to get my bachelors degree first. 2-2.5 years of school without working....I am prepared to deo. But if I have to go another 4 years....I don't think its feasable. There were some schools that had bachelors programs but they wanted 2 years of medical experience.(difficult to get the experience without a prior degree in something med related.

mattfl in Port Orange, Florida said: I mispoke earlier in my post. I will be finishing my A.A, degree by summer. I would love to transition directly into a physicians assistant program from there. However I am having a lot of trouble finding a school that doesn't require a bachelors degree first. The ones I have found seem to have a 4 year program which would basically be the same as going to get my bachelors degree first. 2-2.5 years of school without working....I am prepared to deo. But if I have to go another 4 years....I don't think its feasable. There were some schools that had bachelors programs but they wanted 2 years of medical experience.(difficult to get the experience without a prior degree in something med related.

HELP!

Mas8611@msn.com

I live in Florida also, and I thought that Nova's PA program didn't require a BA/BS? Just 90 credits, 30 of which need to be upper level (3-4000) courses.

mattfl in Port Orange, Florida said: I mispoke earlier in my post. I will be finishing my A.A, degree by summer. I would love to transition directly into a physicians assistant program from there. However I am having a lot of trouble finding a school that doesn't require a bachelors degree first. The ones I have found seem to have a 4 year program which would basically be the same as going to get my bachelors degree first. 2-2.5 years of school without working....I am prepared to deo. But if I have to go another 4 years....I don't think its feasable. There were some schools that had bachelors programs but they wanted 2 years of medical experience.(difficult to get the experience without a prior degree in something med related.

HELP!

Mas8611@msn.com

I think that you are confronting a common misperception. The PA field was originally intended for people with prior medical/ direct patient care experience. That's the only way to cram so much medical information into two years of school. Some programs only require applicants to "shadow" a PA for a certain number of hours, but all will require some form of patient contact or medical exposure. The Bachelor's programs often allow students to apply to the upper division PA courses once the pre-reqs have been met.

The programs aren't short-cuts. They are really intellectualy and psychologicaly demanding. Do yourself a favor, find someone to shadow or find work in a medical facility. If you have children, you REALLY need to understand what you are getting into.

Please reply ASAP, i m really worried :(
I am a freshman student at a four year college in New York and I am interested in a PA program. I searched many schools but they all have different requirements :(. I am planning to finish all the pre requisite by the end of my sophomore year, cause my college already has a PA program but, god forbid if I don't get into the PA program at my current college then what other options I should have?? Is it possible to show my courses to other PA schools and ask them if they are transferable? Most of the PA schools require you to have at least a bachelors degree before applying but I wouldn't have that by the end of my sophomore year WHAT SHOULD I DO? I really wanna become a PA....
Please help me!!!!!!!!!
thanks

I have a MBA in healthcare management, I live in a rural area where this field is not plentiful. I am considering PA. Just wondering does anyone know if this MBA degree with be beneficial for my future with a PA degree

Stephanie, I have an associates degree in professional studies from Bergen communitycollege and have 9 yrs experience assisting at a Surgical office in NYC (no degree in that field, just experience) and is wondering what I need to do to be a PA. Can I take another 2 yrs and get my bachelor's in PA? A friend of mine grad from the same community college with the same AS degree and finished her BS in nursing at ramapo college for only 2 yrs. Is there such thing offered? What do you suggest I do? Thanks!

Stephanie PA-C in Newport News, Virginia said: Tiffany, some of your information is incorrect. I just graduated from Howard University's Bachelor PA program. We do our Pharmacology class with the medical school and have no trouble getting DEA numbers or otherwise licensed. The state medical boards are aware of which programs (regardless of degree) offer Pharm courses. There are some Master's programs that don't. The only difference between the Bachelor's and Master's program is in the degree name.

Thank you so much for that info. I was a student at Howard, and I am returning in the fall. I have been researching like crazy to find out what the difference would be in obtaining my b.s. or master's, and you have answered my question. If you have anymore info about the Howard PA program please email me at snekrpimpg@yahoo.com. I hope you get this!!